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Maine Referred to Justice Department Over Transgender Athlete Policy

The Trump administration enforces Title IX compliance, freezing federal funds as Maine defends its state law protecting transgender athletes.

Greely High School, which was thrust into national spotlight after a state legislator posted about a transgender student-athlete, is seen Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Cumberland, Maine.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
FILE-The morning fog lifts beyond the Burton M. Cross Building, left, and the State House, in this June 21, 2023, file photo, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
FILE -State Rep. Laurel Libby, R-Auburn, speaks with a colleague, Feb. 14, 2023, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, file)
FILE-Maine Gov. Janet Mills speaks to the media in this July 19, 2023, file photo, at the State House in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, file)

Overview

  • The U.S. Education Department has referred Maine to the Justice Department for enforcement after the state missed the April 11 deadline to comply with federal Title IX mandates.
  • President Trump's executive order bans transgender athletes from participating in girls' sports, a policy Maine Governor Janet Mills has openly defied, citing state human rights protections.
  • Federal funding for Maine schools, including critical Title I and child nutrition programs, has been frozen, with public universities like the University of Maine System reversing course to restore funding.
  • Health and Human Services investigations have expanded to include Maine school districts and the Maine Principals’ Association for alleged Title IX violations.
  • The legal standoff underscores broader national debates on transgender rights, fairness in sports, and the federal government’s use of funding as leverage.